Shores of Izen
by Mme. Calico Jack Rackham
Summary: A young girl finds that mystery surrounds her father’s death and Jack Sparrow knows more than he’s letting on
1. An Exsessively Loyal Crew

Title: Shores of Izen

Rating: M

Summary: A young girl finds that mystery surrounds her father's death and Jack Sparrow knows more than he's letting on.

Notes: PLEASE, PLEASE, Please review! Favors are returned.

_**An Excessively Loyal Crew**_

The stars are glittering in their heavens and in the midst of a calmly rolling ocean is a dark ship, the _Sea Witch_, on the deck of which are two men. One, tall, imposingly black skinned with rock-hewn muscles rippling across a shirtless chest leans on the wheel, listening to the other, a man who, though considered to be tall by other standards, is dwarfish in comparison. The smaller man leans in a way suggesting that there is more at work on his balance than the gentle waves of the sea, never stops his earnest appeal.

"C'mon, mate, just think of it. No overbearing captain telling you what to do or how ta do it, when ya know perfectly well how to run yer own ship. Open seas all the time, sun on yer face, wind in yer ha-," suddenly noticing the shining pate of the ships first mate, the speaker pauses for a barely noticeable fraction of a second to adjust his plan of attack, "…sails! Aye, there's wind enough for any sail out there!" He drops his overly enthusiastic tone for one of fiery conviction. "Dream of it man! Complete and total freedom. Freedom for all the rum, women, and rum that a man can stand."

Bored, Issac barely glances at the man. "You said 'rum' twice."

Unduly encouraged by this small sign of attentiveness, he bravely retorts, "That's because rum is twice as important as women, my good man. Enough rum'll make all the world into your playing grounds. It'll sail your dreams upon its back an' drown yer sorrows in yer belly…" He hypnotizes himself with his own words, while Issac seems impenetrable. Losing patience, the mate drops one of his powerful hands on to the smaller man's shoulder, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Now, Mr.-" Before he gets any further, he is interrupted.

"Captain! It's Captain, now, remember that." Rolling his eyes, he continues.

"Right then, _Captain_ Jack-"

"Captain _Sparrow _to you, mate," grins Jack.

Growing more agitated by the minute, Issac growls back, humoring the other pirate, for the moment. "_Captain Sparrow_, then. Not that yours isn't a tempting offer, but, you see, I'm a _loyal_ first mate- something you seem to be lacking in, loyalty- and the Captain, he pays us well to remain that way." He pauses to size up Jack, calculating his potential worth. Jack stares back, somewhat offended to be said to be lacking loyalty, and begins his own calculations. The mate continues, "And_ Mr._ Sparrow, he pays us extra to bring in mutineers." He sneers the last word and takes a step toward Jack, cracking his knuckles and grinning evilly.

Jack's eyes widen as he tries to think of a way out of his situation. "Well, then," he says cheerily, rubbing his hands together, "let's go find us some mutineers." Jack turns on his heel, heading for the crew's quarters, but Issac steps in front of him, effectively blocking his path.

Jack takes an exaggerated step to the left, which the mate immediately copies. He takes another step, this time to the right, with the same results. Quickly thinking, he steps to the right again, then the left, left, right, right, and left again. He takes one more move to the left, then quickly ducks beneath the taller man's outstretched arms as he mistakenly steps to the right, incorrectly anticipating Jack's next move. Jack tosses a cheeky "G'night, mate" over his shoulder as he walks away, but his adversary quickly grabs him by the hair, yanking him backward. Jack's mouth stretches into a large 'O', his eyes growing rounder by the second. He fails at an attempt to turn around, his hair still caught in a meaty fist.

"All right, mate, let's talk about this. You let me go and I'll pay you whatever your good captain would give ya for me life. Then, I'll scurry off into the world and if you happen to see me at a later time, you could turn me in then and get double yer pay. How's that sound, eh?" Visibly proud of his logic, Jack leans back into his heals, awaiting Issac's agreement. Instead of agreeing, however, Issac looses a short bark of laughter.

"Yer brain has been fried by the sun if you think I'd lose the chance to be known as the man that caught that inexhaustible Jack Sparrow! Not to mention the captain would have my skin if he knew I let you escape."

Uncrossing his arms, Jack scowls and retorts, "Son, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, my life be worth three times more than yer sorry hide any day." Jack smoothly draws a cutlass from his belt, and slashes the mate across his belly without so much as a hitch in his breath, "And tomorrow, it'll be up to twenty."

The imposing man's eyes widen in disbelief and shock as he feel the stinging blade cut through his vitals, then actual pain as a cool night breeze blows across the open wound. His hand slowly moves to his abdomen and comes away covered in his own dark, sticky blood. He looks at his hand, then at Jack, an angry sneer of hatred covering his face.

"You will die," he says slowly, malice dripping from every word.

Jack leans closer. "Do you promise?"

Gathering his last vestige of strength, Issac shoots out his bloody hand, grabbing Jack by the throat, choking the life from him. Jack clutches at the hand, clawing fiercely, but it doesn't move. Flailing wildly, his breathing slows, his eyes close, and his body slumps in the mate's grip. Satisfied that his revenge has been fully extracted at the last, Issac permits his strength to diminish, his breath to fade, and at the last, allows himself to die.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh." Jack opens his eyes and immediately closes them again, blinded by the morning sun. He tries to throw his arm over his throbbing eyes but discovers that his hands are tied behind his back and he is firmly tied to a mast on deck.

"Glad you could join us, Mr. Sparrow." The captain steps forward out of a crowd of rough-looking seamen. He is a largely muscled man with dark hair dressed in an ill-fitting dark blue gentleman's overcoat. Reeking of unwashed filth, he nevertheless gives the impression of a deeply rooted love of cruelty.

"Captain…" mumbles Jack, his head swinging from side to side, his wits a bit addled but slowly recovering.

"Aye, Mr. Sparrow? Something you want to say in your defense?" The captain frowns, debating on whether to kill him now or torture him first.

"Not you, me. I'm the captain." Finally gathering the strength to open his eyes, Jack looks around. His eyes dart to each face of the malicious crew surrounding him, searching for a sympathetic face, seeing none. His eyes finally come to rest on the Captain, the only beacon of darkness in the whole damn shining world. The man is scowling now, still unsure of which decision he should make, even though Jack's words aggravate him greatly.

"_You're _the Captain? Where's your ship? Your crew? Seems to me that you got hit a little too hard you insolent bastard." Jack turns his head, ignoring the other man and sees the ships destination Port Charles, in the not-to-distant distance. Finally able to think straight in this bloody _blinding SUN_, he begins to wiggle his way out of his dilemma.

"You would be standin' on my ship, in the midst of my men, if it weren't for your damned first mate," Jack says with a bit of malice. "You know it's not really a good thing to have such an excessively loyal crew. They're so concerned with making you happy that they'll never be able to do what's right by them, and that, friend, is what it's all about. If they had just listened to me we'd have been happily on our way to, well, to Port Charles, still, but I would be Captain of this little boat instead of you and that's what makes all the difference."

Confused by Jack's seemingly nonsensical ramblings, Captain asks, "In what?"

Apparently mortified that the man didn't follow him, Jack bellows, "In what! In you and me! Me and you. You and them. Me and them. Some of them and the rest of them. The left half and the right half. The front and-"

"Mr. Sparrow!"

"Captain!"

"You are in no position to be correcting me, you ass. Now, if you have a point, you'd best be getting to it. The boys don't like to be kept from their duties and if you keep 'em much longer, I'll have to let 'em set into you while your flappin' that glib tongue of yours." At mention of themselves, several of the men begin flashing their knives and twitching the whips in their hands. Jack eyes them nervously and begins twitching a bit himself.

"I'll not keep them waiting, then. My point is this: Never tie up a man you intend to kill without checking all his pockets first." As the Captain's frown deepens and he tries to puzzle out Jack's meaning, the ropes binding the man almost magically part. One of the quicker-thinking men throws a dagger at him, but he's too quick. Jack runs to the side of the ship, slowing only to grab his effects from the top of a barrel. Stepping onto the railing, he grins.

"Gentlemen, this is the day-"

"Shut UP!" roars the Captain as he rushes at him, sword drawn, eyes blazing. Jack's own eyes widen and he almost teeters over the side as he turns to dive into the ocean. The Captain leans over the balustrade and screams at the quickly retreating figure. "If I ever hear you open your blasted mouth again, I'll shoot you right between your bloody eyes!" Whirling about, he glares at his men, his face red and a vein bulging in his forehead.

"20 gold coins and half this ship that kills him before I do!" He strides to the mast picking up the fallen blade and runs the tip along his jaw line, a thoughtful look on his face. His decision between torture and death made, he grins evilly.

"Bring me his tongue instead."


	2. Women and Fools

**Of Women and Fools**

"Well?" Anna lifts her hazel eyes from the rust colored silk gown laid over her counter and lets scorn show in her gaze.

"Sir, I may be a woman, but I am no fool. The queen of England never wore this dress." _And it probably stolen_ she mentally adds, noticing several worn, but repairable, spots near the hem.

"The blazes she didn't," he hotly declares. "I brought it back from the motherland meself!" The man angrily plants his fist on the delicately wrought stand for emphasis, shaking its contents from their places.

"Mr. Jame-" she begins in righteous protestation, then notices a scruffy man loaded with things from her shop quietly leaving without paying. Angry beyond belief, she quickly yells, "Catch that thief and I'll buy your dress!" Jameson quickly runs after the man, catching up with him in the middle of the street. He grabs the man by the hair, yanks him roughly to the ground, and sits on him. The girl catches up to them, her dark brown hair falling about her face. Eying some of her most valuable merchandise lying in the mud, she perversely hopes that the man is hurt, then is stopped short by such a mean thought. A bit apprehensively, she asks Jacobson to get off him.

"But he'll run off…" he begins. They both glance at the prone figure, a smirk finding its way across the girl's face.

"I don't think he'll even be able to get up." The would-be thief attempts to nod in agreement, then groans as Jacobson pushes himself up off him. Barely able to breathe, it takes him a moment to clear his head. Anna begins picking up her fallen trinkets, grumbling about idiot thieves with no respect, then gasps when the man rolls over and tries to sit up. This idiot thief turns out to be none other than Jack Sparrow! Fuming, she puts the ornaments in her pockets and stands over the man.

"You damned fool! What in the world made you think you could steal from my store and get away with it? I've heard of you. You've stolen from three other places this week and haven't made it away with anything. Why try again? My God, you ran into a carriage and it wasn't even moving! You are without doubt the worst thief I've ever heard of!" She quickly turns and walks back to her shop, marveling at the amounts of sheer stupidity some people seem to possess.

Finally able to sit up Jack shouts at her retreating figure, "But you have heard of me!" Jacobson grins and extends a hand to help him up.

"Aye, I think we've all heard of your attempts, lately lad, and to be honest, you're not that good of a thief." Jack takes the hand and once upright pulls a large emerald from his shirt.

Flashing all his teeth, he grins. "Am I not?" The other man give a small astonished laugh, knowing that was the centerpiece of Anna's store, guarded fiercely by the girl. To stunned to do much more than gape at the amazing jewel, he gives a nervous start when Jack speaks. "You know of a good tavern anywhere about, mate?" He nods to the affirmative. Slightly amused, Jack raises an eyebrow at him. "How about helping me get there, then?" Jacobson recovers himself, and allowing Jack to lean on him, silently leads him to the best place in town, the Apollo. Just before they enter, he turns to Jack.

"You do know that's a fake don't you?" Before a stunned Jack can answer, a rather chesty waitress calls. Opening his arms in an answering welcome, Jacobson allows Jack to fall weakly to the floor. After all, who has time for a man when a gorgeous woman calls your name?

Anna stalks back into her shop, still piqued at the Jack's audacity and arrogance. To imply that he was so important that she should have heard of him, that he would have, in fact, been surprised if she _hadn't_ heard of him was more than nerve-grating. She sincerely wished that the man would fall of a bridge somewhere. Then the world would be far better of in my opinion.

"Excuse me?" An irritated voice breaks through her slightly morbid thoughts. "Anna, I thought I raised to pay more attention to the world around you than this." Anna grins, her eyes crinkling attractively at the corners.

"Maisy, it's so good to see you!" The older woman gives a petulant "Hrmmph," in disagreement.

"Not good enough, I don't think. You haven't visited in over two weeks, child." Her face softens. "I have missed you dearly. You know so few stop by to chat with an old woman with few charms these days." Anna smiles.

"You silly thing, quit looking for compliments. You know you are far more attractive that many others your age and have so much to do that I'm surprised that you even noticed I hadn't been by." Maisy does her best to look ashamed, but the woman is so naturally mischievous that her sparkling eyes ruin the desired effect.

"You could always see right through me, Anna. Now come give me a hug and tell me all about what I just saw. Who was that rather dashing fellow I just saw you running after? Very un-ladylike of you, I might add." She sits down, motioning for her niece to do the same. Anna does as bidden and relates the days happening.

"That Jack Sparrow is a most uninspired thief, Maisy. I don't know why he even attempts it at all," she concludes. "He even stole my fake emerald from the window, when everyone knows it's a fa-. Maisy, what is the matter!" Anna rushes over to her aunt, frightened by a look of utter terror on Maisy's face. "What is it? What did I say? Maisy?" She looks up at Anna.

"Jack Sparrow, did you say?" she asks shakily. She nods to herself. "Yes, Sparrow, that was it." Maisy rises. "I need to go home now. Goodnight dear." She distractedly pecks Anna on the cheek and walks out of the store, leaving her worried niece behind.


	3. Mystified and Muddled

**Chapter III**

_Mystified and Muddled_

It has been over a week since Jack's last attempt to steal from Anna's shop and almost as long since anyone had seen him at all, Anna's mind had never left him. Everywhere she turns, it seems, she sees him, gold teeth, braids, scars and all. Every time someone comes into the Inquiry she starts, anxious to see him again, ever conscious that it was his name that made her beloved aunt and foster mother take a decided turn for the worse. Now, finally tired of waiting around for Maisy to tell her what is going on, (something she is taking her sweet time about, by the way) Anna decides to go to the one person sure to know what it's about. After all, he made up most of the own legends about him himself and makes it his business to know what other rumors are circulating about the infamous Jack Sparrow.

Where do I find such a disreputable man? Anna wonders, locking up on the slow Friday afternoon, where to even _begin_ looking. Unexpectedly, her answer presents itself in front of the blacksmith's shop. Recognizing a heaven-sent opportunity when she sees one, Anna rushes across the street to Mr. Jacobson, remembering that he walked off with Jack after the little 'incident' last week. Impatience and fear that she will lose him as he turns the corner speed her feet and blind her eyes to all that surround her. She anxiously pushes her way through a crowd, only to bump right into the reason for her chase.

She quickly excuses herself, attempting to push past the man, not realizing who he is. When he refuses to move, even daring to grasp her arms, she tilts her head back to look in his face. Sunlight streaming from behind his head, it takes a moment before she realizes who he is. In that moment, Jack takes his opportunity to search her bare neck and considerable cleavage, but when he sees nothing of interest beyond her obvious charms, he relinquishes his hold. Anna finally recognizes him as he steps out of the sun.

"Jack!" She grins, a smile lighting her weary eyes. "You are just the man I'm looking for." He cagily wonders why and posing the question to her, speculating why she is smiling at him instead of trying to have him arrested, as so many seem intent on doing, especially considering that he broke into the place of her livelihood and tried to rob her of it.

She pauses, a little embarrassed that she is about to cross-examine, in effect, a man she barely knows but for his exiting, devilish reputation. Holding on to the thought of Maisy's current emotional distance and believing that Jack can help cure it, or at least reveal the reason for it, she gathers her courage and forges ahead.

"Well, I was talking about you the other day and something interesting happened." Jack takes her arm and begins walking her to a nearby public park, his mind already on what part this girl will play in his future. He gives her a slanting glance and grins. "Interestin' things always happen wherever my name happens to be, but then they don't usually cause such a lady as yourself much trouble." At her raised eyebrows, an instinctive gesture she is unaware of, Jack chuckles mockingly. "Adventures such as those are not generally deemed fit for the ears of the higher class. But tell me about yours, luv." She takes a deep breath and relates her last visit with Maisy and her unexpected reaction. Jack listens intently, his brow furrowed in thought.

"And it just seemed to me that you must know why this is happening. People usually are aware when they have such an impact on another's life, aren't they," she finishes, pleading with him to fix her problems. Jack grins widely.

"I have a profound effect on thousands of women I've never met. Why, when most women hear my name, I'm sure they tremble in pleasure and excitement." He pauses. "But I do think I may know what happened to yer friend there." Anne grips Jack's arm tighter, unaware of the spectacle they make: an obviously well-bred, if poor, lady and a man that no one could possibly mistake for a gentleman acting astoundingly like one. Jack stops to glare at a fat woman and her stringy companion glaring at _him_, the only thing stopping him from saying something so totally scandalous that both will run off screaming is the gentle woman beside him waiting on his answer. The couple wrinkles their noses at him and hurry away, eager to spread their gossip. Suddenly, Jack sees a man step from behind a tree. A filthy, sinewy creature, he grins at Jack, showing a mouth of rotted teeth. He casually pulls a knife from his pocket, only to twirl it in the air and put it back again. He repeats this motion over and over again.

Jack winces and turns back to a far more appealing face. "But I can't give out such important information as that if I don't get something in return, now could I Anna?" Perplexed, she asks what a girl like her could possibly give him, within the bounds of propriety, of course. He winks at her a pulls her close. "How bout a kiss, luv?" Anna steps back, enraged by such impropriety in such a public place. She lifts her gloved hand to give him a sound smack across the face, only to have it caught just before it makes the satisfying _smack_ she desperately wishes to hear. Jack lowers her hand, unhurriedly pealing off the crisp white glove. He lets it drop to the ground as he faces her palm up. Slowly, he drags his mesmerizing eyes from hers to her hand, apparently memorizing every line of her palm.

Her breathing quickens as unfamiliar feeling wash through her body, to stunned to even wonder what he'll do next. He lifts her hand and places a gentle kiss in the middle of it. Her fingers curl inward, cupping his chin. Again he looks into her eyes, then lowers her hand and kisses her on the lips, his hands cupping her innocent face. A tingling begins in Anna's chest, moving down to her stomach, then toes. A pressure builds, begging to be released, but it is so frightening that she cannot handle anymore. She firmly pushes against Jack's chest. He steps away from her, confused, unsure why she won't surrender to him. She looks at him for just a moment, then quickly lowers eyes brimming with tears.

"_Go._" He begins to step toward her, but she backs away. She puts up her hands as if to ward him off, unaware of how endearing it is to him to see the gloveless hand next to the virgin white one. "_Please_, Jack." Again he attempts to come closer.

"Anna…" To frazzled to take anymore, she runs. As he watches her disappear down the lane they just walked down, the other man comes over to Jack.

"A bit skittish isn't she?" He whispers in his ear. Jack jumps, having been unaware of the man's approach.

"I'll break her of it, Scurvy, don't you worry about that." he replies, inching away from the man. Scurvy grins, still clutching his blade. He breathes a foul, unnatural air on Jack, who shrinks in disgust at a breath fouler than his own.

"You'd better or the Captain is gonna start carryin out some of those un-pleasantries he's been promising. An' I'm just itchin' ta start." Scurvy brings the tip of his knife to Jack's chin. "He wanted to cut out yer tongue first, ye know." Swiftly moving, his slices off the so-carefully made braids on Jack's chin. Jack's eyes glitter in anger, knowing he could promptly kill this insolent dog who thinks he's so much better than _the_ Captain Jack Sparrow, just because he works for the most treacherous mercenary on the seven seas. _Bide your time, Jack_, he thinks to himself. _Pick your battles, and show 'em who's better when it's the most opportune moment._ With as much servility he can muster, Jack gives a weak, "We don't want that." Scurvy laughs.

"You might not, but I'd sure enjoy the show." He flicks the knife from Jack's chin and returns it to its sheath. Satisfied that Jack has caught his message, Scurvy turns and disappears into the surrounding trees, not once looking back to see the reaction of his 'prey'. Fortunate that he hadn't, since Jack was struggling to drag his pistol from his belt, planning on shooting the murderous idiot right in the back. Giving up the struggle as he loses sight of Scurvy amount the trees, Jack starts for the _Apollo_. _I need a good drink after the day I've just had._


End file.
